Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-08-18

plcion Of robbery, pissible assassination,
flashed upon me, but was instantly dis.
carded as foreign to the people among
whom I was travelling.
| The moonlight now fell upon the
curtained bed opposite to me, and I saw
the tattered drapery move, as if the
frame upon which it was suspended
were agitated. I watched, l confess,
with more peculiar feelings Of interest.
was not alarmed, but an unaccount.
able anxiety crept over me. AT length
the curtain parted, and a naked human
leg was protruded through its folds-the
foot came with dumb. dead like sound
to the floor resting there. it seemed to
me at least half a minute before the
body to which it belonged was disclos.
ed to my view. Slowly, then, pallid
and unearthly looking figure emerged
from the couch, and stood with its
stark lineament clearly drawn against
the dingy curtains behind 1t. It ap.
peared to be balancing itself for q mo.
ment; and than began to move along
from the bed. But there was some.
thing horribly unnatural in the its mo.
tions. Its arms hung, apparently par.
alyzed, by its side, and the only sign Of
life in the frame. appeared about its
brow. The eyes were dilated and FIX
ed with the expression of ghastly hor-
ror, and tho petrified lips moved not,
as the h,deous moaning, which came
from the bottom Of the chest, escaped
them.
1t began to move across the floor i'll
the direction OF my bed-its knees ut
every step being drawn up with sud-
den jerk to the body, and its feet CON-
ing to the ground as if they were NOV.
ed by some mechanical impulse and
were wholly wanting in the elasticity
Of living members.
1t approached my bed, and mingled
horror and curiosity kept me still. 1t
came and stood beside it. and child.
like, clung to my couch, moving only
to the farther side. Slowly, ard with
the same unnatural footballs, it pursued
me thithcr. and again my position. 1t
placed itself then at the foot Of my bed
and, moved by its piteous groans, l
tried to look calmly at it l endeavored
to rally my thoughts-to reason with
myself and even to speculate upon the
nature of the object before me. One
idea that went through my brain was
too e1travigant not to remember. I
thought. among other things. that the
phantom was a corpse. animated for
tho moment by some galvanic persons.
in order to terrify me. Then a. I 70.
collected that there was no one in the
village to carry such trick into effect
-suppos:ng even the experiment posi-.
ble-I rejected to the supposition.-
How, too, could those awful means be
produced from an inanimate being p
And yet it seemed as if everything
about it was dead, except the more cap
ability of moving its feet and uttering
those unearthly expressions Of suffering
The spectre, however. if so it may be
called, gave but little opportunity for
reflection. Its ghastly limbs were rails
ed anew with the same automation
movement, and, placing one of its feet
upon the bottom of my bed, while its
CLASSY eyes were fixed steadfastly upon
me, it began slowly stalking toward
my pillow.
l confess that l was now in an agony
of terror.
Isprang from the couch and fled
from that apartment. The keen.sight-
edness of fear enabled me to discover
an open closet upon the other side Of
hall. Springng into it, closed the
door quickly after me. 1t had neither
lock nor bolt, but the closet was so mar.
row that by placing my feet against the
opposite wall I could brace by back
against the door so as to hold itagainst
any human assailant who had only it's
arms for lever.
The Precipitation Of mortal fear start
ed upon my forehead as l heard the
super. natural tread Of that strange
visitant approach,ng the spot, II SEEM
ed an age before its measured steps
brought it to the door.
1t struck it; the blow was sullen and
hollow, as if dealt by the hand Of a
corpse. 1t was like the dull sound of
its own feet upon the floor.
1t struck the door again, and, to my
intense relief, the sound was more fee
BILE than before. Surely, thought,
the hand of no living man could pro-
juoo cuch n oouad